A Flock Safety camera installed near Memorial Union sparked confusion between the City of Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Madison over who owns the pole supporting the device — and whether the camera complies with city regulations.
In a Feb. 6 letter obtained by The Daily Cardinal to UW-Madison Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs Nancy Lynch, the city attorney’s office said a Flock surveillance camera and solar panel had been installed on a pedestrian crossing pole in front of Memorial Union without authorization from the city.
Assistant City Attorney Doran Viste wrote that the pole sits within the Langdon Street right-of-way and is owned and maintained by the city. The city pushed back in their letter, saying because the city and university don’t have an agreement allowing the camera’s installation, the device was placed on city infrastructure without authorization.
“The City would like this camera and installation removed as soon as possible,” the letter states.
The camera is part of a network of license plate reader devices known as Flock cameras, which law enforcement agencies use to identify vehicles connected to crimes by capturing images of license plates and vehicle characteristics. The University of Wisconsin Police Department (UWPD) began installing these cameras near campus in 2025 as part of broader public safety efforts.
UWPD currently operates eight Flock cameras around campus. When asked to confirm the locations of the cameras, the department declined to provide specific details. Unlike UWPD, MPD does not operate Flock cameras due to a Common Council ordinance that bans the use of face surveillance technology.
“As with our campus security cameras, we do not disclose locations,” UWPD Executive Director of Communications Marc Lovicott told the Cardinal. “We certainly aren’t hiding them, but we don’t publicize locations.”
While the letter states the pole sits within the Langdon Street right-of-way, the documents attached to the letter and reporting by the Cardinal, suggest the dispute may stem from confusion over which pole the camera is actually mounted on.
Photos included in the city’s complaint show a camera mounted on a pole near Memorial Union. However, the pole identified in earlier communications between city and university officials — the pedestrian crossing pole — appears to be a different piece of infrastructure than the one where the camera is currently mounted.
Lovicott said the camera was installed on a light pole outside Memorial Union in July 2025. After receiving the city’s letter last month, UW-Madison reviewed the installation and confirmed the camera was not mounted on the city-owned crosswalk pole referenced in the complaint.
However, after further inquiries from the Cardinal, Lovicott said the university later determined the pole where the camera is mounted may also belong to the city.
“When the camera was installed, the pole was believed to be owned by UW-Madison,” Lovicott said in a later email to the Cardinal.
He added that determining ownership is complicated because of overlapping infrastructure in the area.
“Due to the complexity of various utility infrastructures in that area, further investigation is needed,” Lovicott said. “UWPD is already working with Flock and the City to address the situation.”
According to Lovicott, the camera that is currently installed was not relocated after installation.
“The camera has never been moved. It’s been on that light pole since it was first installed last summer,” Lovicott said.
Alaina Walsh is the city news editor for The Daily Cardinal. She formally served as the associates news editor and has covered breaking news on city crimes, a variety of state and campus issues, the 2024 presidential election and the UW-Madison budget. You can follow her on twitter at @alaina_wal4347
